Black Men and Public Space
Read “Black Men and Public Space” (226-228), by Brent Staples, and discuss one or more of the following. To receive full credit, your original response should be at least 5 sentences long and you should respond to at least one other posting.
The concept of altering public space is relatively abstract. How does Staples convince the reader that this phenomonen really takes place? Give some specific examples.
Staples uses a large number of examples in a short essay. Why does he include so many, and how does he keep the reader interested? What do all the examples have in common?
Have you had an experience where you felt something about your appearance caused strangers to have a negative impression of you? (In other words, have you been stereotyped because of how you look?) If so, describe the situation, how it made you feel, and how you responded to it.